Learning from others...

As teachers, it's always a good idea to "beg, borrow and steal" from one another (as long as you ask!), even when it comes to blogging. Edublogging has made it possible to look into classrooms all over the country and around the world to see how things are being done elsewhere. New teachers such as myself have the chance to pick up on great ideas and tactics to use in our own classrooms. Below are a few of the blogs that I have been reading and following to give you an idea of what to expect on your blog-ventures!

Mr. Avery's Classroom Blog - A 6th Grade Class From Massachusetts Sharing With the World! 

 Read their blog here

Mr. Avery’s classroom blog is a collective effort from not only him as a teacher, but by his students as well. Posts vary between those written by him and from several different students. The posts showcase work being done in the class, and many feature questions that encourage students to leave comments and become actively involved with the posts. The teacher showcases the students work, and it seems that all the children have several chances to have their work displayed on the blog. Not only are there pictures of the students working and having fun, but their actual work is sometimes uploaded (such as drawings etc). Mr. Avery also incorporates different media, such as video and audio, to show what the kids are up to. This makes the blog engaging and fun to read. The posts are short and concise, concentrating more on sharing the examples than on a long winded explanation of what they did.

Mr. Avery’s class is in contact with other teachers and students through his blog. He has posts dedicated to the different people they have “met”, and what they have learned from each other. The posts feature slides and maps showing where the blogs are, with more questions for the students. Upon reading the comments, it is apparent that the blog involves the whole family! Not only are students leaving new information that they have found on their own time, but parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents are leaving comments as well. Talk about making learning a family affair!

I found a great idea to use in my own classroom. In December, the students were learning about similes. They each wrote two different similes on separate pieces of paper describing winter. They then crumpled up the pieces of paper and had a snowball fight with them in the gym! At the end, students picked up two snowballs and shared the similes with the class and discussed how similes can strengthen writing and help “create a story that the reader can step into.” I will be using this idea when I have the chance!

I really enjoy this blog. Mr. Avery and his students have an exciting classroom, and there are tons of great lesson ideas for teachers, even though they follow the U.S. curriculum. This is a prime example of how a blog can enrich learning in and out of the classroom. Check them out!